OXEN. !6 3 



indicate that the range of the animal extended as far southwards as Greece. Bones 

 of the aurochs have been obtained from England and Scotland, but are unknown 

 in Ireland. On the continent they occur in France, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia, 

 Germany, and Austria; while it may be taken as certain that the species roamed 

 over Russia, although its exact eastern and northern limits are not ascertained. 

 Southwards the aurochs ranged as far as Algeria. 



The mention of a white aurochs, which may, however, have been a tamed 

 individual, in one of the chronicles referred to above, coupled with the coloration 

 of the Chillingham cattle, renders it probable that the colour of the aurochs was 

 white, more or less mingled with dun and red ; this inference being confirmed by 

 the prevalence of these colours in so many of our domestic breeds of cattle. 



It is probable that the aurochs was the direct ancestor of our 



largest breeds of domestic cattle. At a very early period (although 

 later than the epoch of the brick-earths, when the aurochs first existed) the in- 

 habitants of Europe had succeeded in domesticating a small variety of ox, known 

 as the long-fronted ox (Bos longifrons), from which it is considered probable that 

 the small Welsh and Highland breeds of cattle are descended. If, however, we are 

 right in our view that the whole of the cattle of Europe belong to one species, it is 

 evident that the long-fronted ox itself must likewise have been originally derived 

 from the aurochs. 



Having said thus much as to the extinct wild cattle of Europe, 



we proceed to notice the half- wild races preserved in certain English 

 arid Scottish parks, after which we shall pass on to the consideration of the chief 

 domestic breeds. It may be premised that while several of the former are probably 

 much closer to the aurochs than are any of the latter, there seems but little 

 doubt that in all cases these half-wild cattle are descended from more or less 

 completely domesticated early breeds, and are not directly derived from the wild 

 aurochs. The British park-cattle, when pure bred, are white in colour, with the 

 exception of the ears and muzzle, and sometimes the front of the legs, which may be 

 either red or black ; the horns being white with black tips. In size these cattle are 

 small ; but their proportions are well-nigh perfect, their heads being small, their 

 backs straight, and their legs short. According to Mr. J. E. Harting, herds of 

 these cattle were formerly kept at all of the following parks, viz., Auchencruive 

 (in Ayrshire), Barnard Castle (Durham), Bishop Auckland (Durham), Blair Athol 

 (Perthshire), Burton Constable (Yorkshire), Cadzpw Castle (Lanarkshire), Chartley 

 Park (Staffordshire), Chillingham Castle (Northumberland), Ewelme Park (Oxford- 

 shire), Gisburne Park (Yorkshire), Hoghton Tower (Lancashire), Holdenby Park 

 (Northamptonshire), Kilmory House (Argyleshire), Leigh Court (Somersetshire), 

 Lyme Park (Cheshire), Middleton Park (Lancashire), Naworth Castle (Comber- 

 land), Somerford Park (Cheshire), Whalley Abbey (Lancashire), and Wollaton 

 Park (Nottinghamshire). Of these numerous herds the only ones now remaining 

 are those at Cadzow, Chartley, Chillingham, Kilmory, Lyme, and Somerford. 

 Chillingham The best known of all is the famous Chillingham herd. There is 



cattle. some d ollD t, as to the date of the enclosure of Chillingham Park, 

 which, however, very probably took place early in the thirteenth century; and 

 there is undoubted evidence of the existence of the herd rather more than two 



